


Slow Progress is Still Progress.

by CristinaBlackthornKingson



Category: Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston
Genre: Adoption, Bi-Curiosity, Big Sisters, Birthday, Bisexual Character, Bisexual Female Character, Bisexual Male Character, Bisexuality, Brother-Sister Relationships, Brotherly Love, Brothers, Canon Bisexual Character, Canon Queer Character, Canon Queer Character of Color, Canon Queer Relationship, Canon Trans Character, Coming Out, Epic Friendship, F/F, F/M, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Female Friendship, Fertility Issues, Friendship, Gay, Gay Character, Gay Male Character, Gay Parents, Infertility, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Character of Color, M/M, Male-Female Friendship, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Mother-Son Relationship, Motherhood, Multi, Other, Pansexual Character, Polyamorous Character, Polyamory, Pregnancy, Protective Siblings, Queer Character, Queer Families, Queer Themes, Same-Sex Marriage, Self-Discovery, Sexuality, Sexuality Crisis, Sibling Bonding, Sibling Love, Siblings, Trans Character, Trans Female Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:48:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26287474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CristinaBlackthornKingson/pseuds/CristinaBlackthornKingson
Summary: What if when Alex was trying to figure out his sexuality, he decided it would be too awkward to call Liam, and instead decided to confide in Amy? What happens when these two unlikely friends, confide in eachother and become better friends?
Relationships: Alex Claremont-Diaz & June Claremont-Diaz, Alex Claremont-Diaz & Liam, Alex Claremont-Diaz & Nora Holleran, Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor, Alex Claremont-Diaz/Liam, Beatrice Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor & Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor, Ellen Claremont/Leo, Ellen Claremont/Oscar Diaz, Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor & Martha Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor, Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor & Philip Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor, June Claremont-Diaz/Nora Holleran, June Claremont-Diaz/Nora Holleran/Percy "Pez" Okonjo, June Claremont-Diaz/Percy "Pez" Okonjo, Martha Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor/Philip Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor
Comments: 3
Kudos: 55





	Slow Progress is Still Progress.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi lovelies, thanks for clicking on this story!  
> Before we get into it I just want to give a quick TW/CW.
> 
> ***TW/CW***  
> Talk of women's health and pain not being taken seriously by medical professionals.  
> Sexisim.  
> Racism.  
> Transphobia.  
> Homo/queerphobia.

It is a cold January day in 2020, when 21 year old Alex Claremont-Diaz finds himself grappling with his sexuality, and needing someone to talk to.

Ever since Henry kissed him at the New Year’s Eve party, Alex has been going through a bit of a sexual and romantic orientation crisis. He did talk with Nora (who says she’s bi but Alex actually thinks she’s just attracted to numbers.) but it kind of just made him even more confused. 

Sitting on his bed in the White House, thinking about how Henry’s kiss made him feel, Alex runs through a list of people he could talk to about his confusion.

There’s Henry of course, but they haven’t spoken since the kiss, so that’s a no go. 

There’s his mom or dad, but he’s not ready to tell them yet, he knows they’ll love and support him no matter what but he wants to figure this out for himself before talking to them about it. 

He could talk to Rafael and ask him not to tell Oscar, but then he might have to admit that he use to kind of have a crush on Raf and that would be embarrassing. 

There’s Nora of course, but she’s probably busy being the human-computer hybrid that she is. 

He could call his old best friend, Liam, but they haven’t spoken in 4 years now, it would be too awkward. 

So that really only leaves on person, Amy. He could go downstairs and talk to her about her transition and how she knew she was different, talk to her and ask her about her wife and life as a trans gay woman. She won’t tell anyone, she’s friendly and understanding and a good listener, and has a lot of experience in being different and trying to figure yourself out. Really there isn’t a better person Alex could talk to. 

He makes his way downstairs where he last saw Amy a few hours ago. He spots her just as she’s about to pick up her bag and leave, she’s changed out of her uniform into a red hoodie and black leggings and has taken her hair out of the bun she usually wears it in, so that it sits free and loose around her shoulders. 

“Amy!” Alex calls, hurrying down the hallway to get to her before she leaves. 

“What’s up?” Amy cheerfully asks, happy to be going home to her beautiful wife after a long day at work. 

“I... I know you’re off shift now until the morning but uh, I was... wondering if we could talk for a minute, please?” Alex awkwardly asks, rubbing the back of his neck, hating to keep Amy at work any longer than necessary. 

“Is everything okay?” She wearily asks, looking around for any sign of a threat. 

“Oh yeah no, it’s nothing about a threat or anything, it’s... it’s actually kinda personal and I feel like you’re the best person to talk to about this... issue.” Alex says, wincing at his poor choice of words, usually he is so smooth, what has gotten into him?

“Oh my god you didn’t get someone pregnant did you?” Amy asks in a tone of dread. If a baby is going to be living in the White House, her job (and Cash’s and all the others Secret Service Agents.) is going to get a lot harder. 

“What?! No! Actually that’s kind of ironic given what I want to talk to you about... look can we go somewhere more private? Please?” Alex hopefully asks. Amy sighs and puts her car keys back in her pocket. 

“You’re lucky I like you, come on let’s go to one of the spare offices.”

A few minutes later Alex finds himself sitting in the office rarely used, across from Zahra’s, by the fireplace there, across from Amy. 

“Okay Alex, spill.” Amy says, sitting back in her chair, waiting for Alex to speak. 

“So uh.... h-how did you know that you’re trans and gay?” Alex blurts out, making Amy go wide eyed with shock, whatever she had been expecting Alex to ask it clearly wasn’t that.

“Uh, well I didn’t figure it out until I was in my early 20s, I have vague memories of being a kid and realizing that I didn’t feel like a boy, but at the time I thought nothing of it really, just thought I was more feminine than other boys. 

Then when I went to college and met a lot of diverse people, people within the LGBTQ+ community. I started to learn about trans people and other parts of the LGBTQ+ community, though my parents were accepting I was pretty sheltered as a kid, and information wasn’t as easy to come by back then as it is now.

Anyway, I got really involved in fighting for trans rights and standing up to transphobes and such, and for a while I thought I was just an Ally, but then I started doing some more research and thinking more about my identity and it just hit me one day, that I’m trans, that I was never a man, I've always been a woman.

It took me a while to wrap my head around it, because for so long I thought I was cis. After that, I came out to my family and friends who were all totally supportive, thank god. 

I started medically transitioning when I was 22, started off with Estrogen and then had my surgeries a bit further down the line, just before I met Claudia. 

As for how did I know I’m gay, it sounds cliché but I’ve always known I’m attracted to women and women alone, and that didn’t change one bit when I transitioned, it just meant that I was no longer identifying as a straight cis man, rather a gay trans woman, and a proud one at that.” When Amy finishes her explanation, she gives Alex a curious look and says “Why do you ask?”

Alex blushes and looks down at his hands for a second, before looking back up at Amy.

“Well.... if I tell you something can you promise not to tell anyone else?” He asks. Amy gives him a look that seems to say ‘Well duh’

“Well I am a _secret_ service agent, so yeah, I think so.” Amy says in a sarcastic tone, which gets a little smile from Alex. 

“Henry kissed me at the New Year’s Eve Party.” Alex quickly says, feeling his anxiety rise while he waits for Amy to react. 

“Alex, are you trying to tell me that Prince Henry assaulted you?” Amy quietly asks, not seeing any other reason that Alex would tell _her_ specifically about this. If it is the case, she and Cash and a lot of other Agents will be a big part of sorting this out.

“No! Oh my god no! I liked it, I wanted him to kiss me, I kissed him back. But now I’m confused because I never thought I was anything but straight, and then Henry kissed me and I really loved it and I think I really like him and I don’t know how to figure it out! Am I bi? Am I pan? Am I actually straight but feeling bi-curious?” Alex tells her in a tone of despair, burying his face in his hands and tugging at his hair. Why is figuring out your romantic and sexual orientation so difficult? 

“Okay well I’m glad the kiss was two sided, but can I ask, why come to me about this? I mean, I like you Alex, you’re a good kid, and I don’t mind you coming to me to talk about this, but why not talk to Nora, or Rafael, or Henry himself?” Amy asks.

“I did talk to Nora but she made me more confused and then got distracted by statistics and shit, Henry’s out of the question because he ghosted me after the kiss, I haven’t spoken to him in weeks, and talking to Raf would be too awkward because... I’d have to admit I... kind of use to have a crush on him.” Alex admits, hoping that Raf never finds out about this, not because he’d react cruelly but because he would relentlessly tease and embarrass Alex about it for the rest of his life. 

“Okay makes sense. Well, to be honest I have noticed the way you and Henry look at eachother, especially the last few months, the way you look at Henry is the way Claudia looked at me when we were in the early stages of our relationship. I think it’s pretty obvious you like him.

As for if that makes you bi or pan or any other sexual identity, maybe, I can’t tell you for sure, no one can. What I can tell you though, is that you don't have to choose a label, now or ever, you could just say you’re queer, or LGBTQ+, or even just say you’re not straight. When I first met Claud she wasn’t sure of her sexuality either, so for years she just used the term ‘queer’ until she realized she feels like pansexual fits her identity.” 

“I’m not a 100% sure, but I think I’m bi.” Alex quietly says. Amy nods. 

“That’s fine too, you don’t have to be 100% certain, some people’s sexuality is fluid, and some bi people experience a preference, for example you might be 80% attracted to women, 20% attracted to men, it’s not the way it works for every bi person, but it is for some and maybe you’re one of them, but if you want to get into statistics and percentages you’ll have to talk to Nora.” Any lightly says, causing Alex to laugh lightly. Nora would just love it if he gave her more numbers to crunch and calculate, she really is the smartest person he’s ever met. 

“What’s it like being in a same-sex relationship, if you don’t mind me asking? I only have experience with girls, I’ve had crushes on guys before, I’m now realizing, but I’ve only ever dated girls.” Alex curiously asks. Amy sighs and rakes a hand through her long dark hair. 

“It’s much easier now than it was when Claud and I met, but it’s still difficult and has it challenges.” Amy bites her lower lip and seems to consider something, before continuing on. 

“One of the hardest things to do while being in a same-sex relationship, is trying to have a family. 

Claud and I have been trying for 5 years now, we wanted to adopt initially but it was so hard to find a trans-friendly agency and then when we moved to private adoption, it was incredibly difficult being matched with any expectant parents. 

We waited 3 years to be matched, but eventually we gave up and started saving for fertility treatment, we started off with IUI because it was less invasive and difficult and less expensive than IVF. We managed to save up within a year and a half because we both have pretty well paying jobs, but once we did we had a really hard time finding a trans friendly fertility clinic.

After searching for a while, we decided to just do it at home with a kit we got online. After 3 attempts it didn’t work so we had to give in and go to a doctor, thankfully we did find someone queer and trans friendly, but turns out it’s not going to be as easy to conceive as we thought. 

Claudia and I both have fertility issues so our only and best way to conceive is through IVF, and even then the doctor said after a while we might want to consider looking into sperm and egg donation, or embryo adoption. 

Being a same-sex couple has nothing to do with our fertility issues, but I think it would have been easier trying to adopt or trying to find a fertility clinic, if we were a heterosexual couple and I was cis.” 

Alex is speechless for a few seconds, following Amy’s story. He can’t imagine what she and Claudia are going through right now. 

Having been raised by Democrats Alex was always highly aware of women and AFAB trans and/or non-binary people’s politicised health issues. He knows both his parents fought (and are still fighting) anti-choice bills, bills that require a person seeking a hysterectomy or tubal ligation to be at least 30, have two children at least (a boy and a girl) and the written consent of their male partner. They also fought _for_ bills that would dramatically lessen the cost of fertility treatment, and bills that would require schools by law, to provide students with good sex education. 

He knows that when June was 19 and Alex was 17, they spent the night in an ER in Texas because June had suddenly been overcome by an agonising and sharp pain in her stomach, which was accompanied by bleeding. They sat in that ER that night for 6 hours, with June taking the strongest OTC painkillers they could get, every 4 hours until she couldn’t take anymore without overdosing, and even then it barely helped the pain. When they were finally called back, the doctor wouldn’t listen to June and just brushed her off as being dramatic and it being the start of her period. (despite June continuously telling him she wasn’t due her period for weeks.) The doctor sent June home without even stronger painkillers, just told her to rest and try a hot water bottle for the pain. It wasn’t until they got home and June told their mom everything and Ellen immediately took her to a private consultant, that it was discovered June had a ruptured ovarian cyst, which could have been lethal had it been left untreated and got infected. 

Alex also remembers the hassle Nora went through at 21, to be diagnosed with PCOS after years of symptoms and futile attempts at talking to doctors. It took her 3 years to finally be diagnosed, and even then a lot of doctor’s didn’t care to help her with pain managment and no one talked her through how it affects her day to day life and how it will affect her future. 

Alex also knows that the issues these 4 women in his life have faced, have been amplified by the fact that none of them are white, women’s pain and health in general is greatly ignored, but it’s even worse for Women of Color. 

“Oh god, Amy I’m so sorry that must be awful, is there anything I can do to help?” Alex asks in a concerned tone. Amy just smiles and shakes her head. 

“Thank you, but no. We’ve started IVF, which has given us a little bit of hope. And at the end of the day we don’t care if our child is biologically related to us or not, it would be nice to see a little person we made together, a mix of Claud and I, and Claudia so badly wants to carry our baby, but if we have to do embryo adoption and surrogacy then we will, anything to have a baby.” 

“Well I hope it works out one way or another and you have a baby soon. Thanks again for your advice, it was really helpful, and I’m sorry I kept you back from going home.” Alex says, now feeling even worse for keeping Amy back, he knows she’s eager to get home to Claudia on any regular day, but while they’re going through fertility treatment she must be even more desperate to be with her wife, after a long day at work.

“Don’t be sorry, I’m glad you felt like you could talk to me and I’m glad I could help. Try not to have another disaster until I’m back on duty, okay?” Amy teases, gathering up her coat and bag and standing up. Alex grins. 

“Can’t make any promises.”

***2 YEARS LATER***

It is a warm August night in 2022 when Alex is pulled from his sleep by the lights in his room being thrown on seconds after the door bursts open. 

“What the hell?” Alex grumbles, pushing himself up on one elbow and squinting into the brightness, while Henry beside him, burry’s his head further into his pillow.

“Get up dummies, quick, and get dressed.” June exclaims, picking up a shirt and a pair of trousers from the floor and throwing them at Alex. 

“June I love you and you’re a wonderful sister-in-law but if you don’t turn off the light and let me go back to sleep I’m going to ban you from Britain and you won’t be able to come over with Pez when he’s working.” Henry groans, wondering what he’s signed up for a lifetime of by falling in love with Alex. 

June just laughs and throws a t-shirt at Henry.

“Aw you’re just jealous that Pez has two awesome partners and you only have my pesky brother.” She says in a teasing tone, smiling at the thought of Nora and Pez, the loves of her life. 

“I feel bad for Pez having to put up with you and Nora, you’re the worst, leave us alone!” Alex exclaims, throwing the clothes back at his sister. 

“No, get up! Amy called, Claudia’s in labor, we’re going to the hospital in 10 minutes, and if you’re not up I’m going to get to hold the baby first!” June tells them in a smug tone.

After a year and a half of fertility treatment, 6 months ago Amy and Claudia revealed to them all that thanks to IVF they were finally expecting their first baby.

Everyone was and is thrilled for them, and when Amy took maternity leave a few weeks ago, Ellen made her promise to keep them updated and call when Claudia went into labor so they could get to the hospital in plenty of time, to meet the baby.

“Why are babies so inconsiderate of sleep schedules?” Henry groans, remembering being woken by Bea in the middle of the night, last year, to tell him to come quickly because Martha’s waters had just broken and she and Philip were about to go to the hospital and Henry needed to come say goodbye and then wait up with Bea and their mum, for news of the baby’s birth.

“Oh stop being so dramatic and get your royal ass up and dressed, you too Alex don’t think I forgot about you, Cash is driving and if you’re not ready in 10 minutes he’s going to leave without you and you’ll have to walk to the hospital.” June firmly tells them, before turning on her heal and leaving the room. 

“When we have kids I’m gonna need a lot more coffee.” Alex mumbles to Henry, putting his arms around him and nuzzling into his neck. Henry laughs and kisses the top of Alex’s head. 

“You’ll adjust, come on let’s get up, we don’t even really need to get dressed but we need to get up. I don’t want to walk 20 minutes to the hospital in the dark in the rain.” He says, ruffling Alex’s hair before reluctantly untangling himself from his boyfriend’s embrace. 

10 minutes later Henry and Alex are the last out of The White House (apart from the security staying behind to guard the place, of course.) having hastily thrown jackets on over their pyjamas and brushing their hair (though Alex ended up putting a baseball cap on too, since his hair would not cooperate and stop sticking up at ridiculous angles) before Alex obviously had to grab a coffee, leaving them only two minutes before Cash leaves. 

“Nice look.” June teases Alex, as he and Henry settle into the seats in the very back of the car, in front of June, Nora and Pez. 

“Nice face. Not.” Alex childishly retorts. 

“I swear if you two start fighting at this godforsaken time of the morning I will disown you both.” Ellen threatens from her seat in the front. 

“But if you disown us you lose Nora!” Alex points out, putting his seatbelt on, knowing how much his mother loves Nora. 

“Nu-uh I choose Ellen over you guys anyday.” Nora says, sharing a smile with her future mother-in-law.

They arrive at the hospital within 10 minutes and are greeted by Amy, in the waiting room that is pretty much empty, this is a private hospital so there are multiple waiting rooms within the one ward, this one just happens to be closest to Claudia’s room. 

“Hi.” Amy quietly says in a cheerful tone. “I was just about to go back into Claud, I just came out to check if you were here yet.” 

“How is she? How’s everything going?” Ellen asks. 

“Good, everything’s fine, going slowly but fine. Claudia just had her epidural so she’s trying to catch up on some sleep at the minute, she hasn’t slept more than an hour in about 48 hours, because she’s been in so much pain the last few days.” Amy informs them, exhausted herself but also relieved that Claudia is now free of pain and can rest before the baby is born. 

“Well it’s good to hear everything is going well, just let us know if we can do anything to help.” Ellen says. Amy smiles appreciatively and thanks her, before going back into Claudia’s room.

2 and a half hours later, just as Alex is dozing off with his head on Henry’s shoulder, he is jolted from his sleepy state by Amy’s voice, full of pride and delight. 

“It’s a girl, Claudia and I have a daughter!” Alex quickly looks up to see Amy standing in front of them, beaming brightly and proudly. 

“Oh congratulations!” June exclaims. 

“On a scale of 1 to 10, how adorable is she?” Pez eagerly asks, eager to meet the baby and get to hold her and cuddle her, he’s a sucker for babies and simply cannot wait to have kids of his own someday, with June and Nora. 

Amy shakes her head and laughs. 

“Off the scales adorable, and outrageously perfect. Claudia’s really tired from the birth so while we’re eager for you all the meet her, we’re going to only allow 2 people in at a time, then when we’re home and settled you can all come visit.” Amy explains. No one argues, of course. “Alex, Henry, do you want to be the first to come meet her?” Amy offers, shocking Alex who was certain she would ask his mom first, since she’s her friend and boss.

“Uh, yeah sure, thanks.” Alex says, still a bit shocked but very happy to be asked, at the same time. 

Amy leads them back into a cozy and warm room with wood flooring and colorful wallpaper. Claudia is sitting up in bed, propped up by pillows behind her back. Her dark hair is messy and damp and hastily thrown into a bun at the back of her head. She’s wearing a light green hospital gown, with white poka-dots, and on her chest is a tiny, curled up baby with a matching blanket and hat. Though Claudia looks exhausted, she also looks happier than Alex has ever seen her, in the 6 years he’s known her.

“Hi.” Claudia quietly says, beaming at Henry and Alex as they follow Amy to Claudia’s side. “Your first visitors baby girl, how exciting!” She coos to the baby, as Amy takes a seat on the bed next to her, putting an arm around her and stroking the baby’s cheek. 

“This is Maya, miss Maya Rose Chen-Bankole.” Amy proudly says, falling more in love with the name every time she hears it. 

“She’s beautiful.” Alex softly says, catching a glimpse of the tiny baby’s face. He wishes he could say she looks like Amy or Claudia, but right now she kind of looks like a potato, but he’s not going to say that. 

“She really is, congratulations.” Henry agrees, slipping an arm around Alex’s waist. 

“Thank you. Do you want to hold her?” Claudia asks, gathering the baby in to her arms, ready to pass her to Henry or Alex. 

“You go first Alex.” Henry encourages. He loved seeing Alex hold Philip and Martha’s son George, when he was born last year, and can’t wait to see him holding a baby again, he suits it so well.

Alex very carefully takes Maya into his arms, and lets her settle for a second, before starting to talk. 

“Hi Maya.” He quietly says, grinning. “You are so cute, I am going to be such a terrible influence on you.”

Henry and Alex stay with Amy, Claudia and baby Maya for about 40 minutes, before leaving them to rest for a while before calling in the next two people. 

By now it’s started to get bright outside, and the rain has stopped, so Henry and Alex decide to walk to a nearby café and get breakfast, before heading back home to catch up on last night’s missed sleep. 

“You alright love? You look very pensive, I worry when you think.” Henry lightly asks Alex, as they walk toward the café, noticing the serious look on his boyfriend’s face. Alex laughs and flips Henry off.

“Actually I was thinking of something that’s been on my mind the last couple of years, it’s about something I want to do, a project.” He tells him, gaining Henry’s interest. 

“Oh yes? And what’s that then?”

“I want to start a charity. Specifically I want to open a fertility clinic and an adoption agency that caters specifically to LGBTQ+ people who are trying to become parents. 

It’s been on my mind a couple of years now, since Amy told me how hard it was for she and Claud to find adoption agencies that were trans and queer friendly, and then how difficult it was for them to find a fertility clinic that would cater to a trans woman who is part of a queer relationship.

Everyone who’s fit to be a parent and who wants to be one, should be able to get the chance to be a parent, no one should be denied parenthood because of their gender or sexual orientation. 

I’d use my money to initially open the center and clinic, then raise more money for upgrades, better salaries, etc. through fundraising, like win the opportunity to have lunch with me, or win the opportunity to have June to take you shopping, something like that.

I just want there to be better resources for LGBTQ+ people trying to start their family, be the change you wish to see in the world, and all that. 

What do you think?” 

Henry stops Alex walking, takes him by the arms and looks him right in the eye, before saying

“I think it is the most wonderful, kind and amazing idea you have ever had, and has made me fall a little bit more in love with you.”


End file.
